1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and, more particularly, to a refrigerator with an improved mounting structure for elements installed in an inner case.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, refrigerators are provided with a storage chamber which is cooled by cold air generated through an evaporator included in a refrigeration cycle, in order to store articles in a refrigerated or frozen state for a lengthy period of time.
The body of such a refrigerator includes an inner case defining a storage chamber as mentioned above in the interior of the inner case, an outer case forming an outer wall of the body, and an insulating layer formed between the inner case and the outer case to thermally insulate the storage chamber. The insulating layer is made of a urethane foam filled between the inner case and the outer case.
Typically, the storage chamber is partitioned into a freezing compartment and a refrigerating compartment. In the freezing compartment, the evaporator of the refrigeration cycle as mentioned above, an ice maker for making ice, etc. are installed. In the refrigerating compartment, a plurality of drawers and racks may be installed.
In order to mount such elements installed in the storage chamber, coupling holes are formed through the inner case. Also, mounting members are coupled to the coupling holes in such a manner that one end of each mounting member is inserted into an associated one of the coupling holes at the outside of the inner case. In this state, each mounting member is fixed between the inner case and the outer case by the urethane foam filled between the inner case and the outer case. Each mounting member is provided with a fastening hole formed through one end of the mounting hole.
When the urethane foam is filled between the inner case and the outer case in a state in which each mounting member has been coupled to the inner case, the mounting member is firmly fixed between the inner case and the outer case such that the inlet of the fastening hole of the mounting member is directed to the interior of the inner case. In this state, the above-mentioned elements can be mounted to the inner case by fastening members which are fastened to the fastening holes of the mounting members at the inside of the inner case.
In such a conventional refrigerator element mounting structure, however, there is a problem in that the urethane foam may leak into the interior of the inner case through the coupling holes in the process for filling the space between the inner case and the outer case with the urethane foam.
To this end, a new method has recently been proposed. In accordance with this method, a cover is provided at the outer surface of each mounting member to cover the coupling hole at the outside of the inner case. In the process for coupling the mounting member to the coupling hole, the cover is bonded to the outer surface of the inner case around the coupling hole by an adhesive such as a hot-melt. In this case, however, there is another problem in that the process for coupling the mounting member to the coupling hole becomes long and complex due to the addition of the hot-melt bonding process.